Canadians Demand Better Seafood Labelling

SeaChoice asked, and Canadians answered – Over 12,700 Canadians agree that the government should have stronger seafood labelling regulations that should include:

Click image to download the SeaChoice seafood labelling report.

Scientific Name – The use of a species scientific name ensures greater clarity. Common names apply to different species and can vary from region to region and language to language. But a species has just one scientific name.

Production Method (Farmed or Wild) – This simple piece of information can have huge sustainability implications.

Gear Type or Farming Method – The gear type for wild caught seafood can have very different impacts on the ocean floor and on other species accidentally caught in the gear. For farm-raised fish, different farming methods can have very different impacts on the surrounding environment and the native species that live there.

Geographic Origin – The location of catch or the location of the aquaculture operation should be clear to consumers.

AND Traceability systems to ensure the accuracy of these label claims.

We submitted our recommendations to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) along with the support of 12,705 Canadians. We also provided comments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, focusing in on traceability requirements for the seafood supply chain.

So what can you do to help?

The next time you’re at the grocery store buying seafood, be sure to ask:

What species is this?

Is it wild or farmed?

Where is it from?

How was it caught, or farmed?

Then reference a sustainable seafood app or website, like SeaChoice, to find out whether or not it’s a sustainable choice.

You can also head to labelmyseafood.ca to sign up to our email list to follow our progress and to learn more about seafood fraud and mislabelling in Canada.

More information

Have you ever bought seafood and wondered what fish you’re actually buying? According to Canadian guidelines, a package labeled as “rockfish” could be one of more than 100 possible species, some of which are endangered, and others which are sustainably caught.

Canadians deserve to know more about their seafood. But Canada’s labelling laws do not require seafood providers to properly label their product with the necessary information that will help consumers make well-informed decisions. This makes it difficult for Canadians to find healthy choices for the oceans and for their family too. It also gets in the way of important economic opportunities for Canada’s fishing industry – aligning our labelling with that of our major trading partners, namely the United States and the European Union, will facilitate smoother sale and trade operations for Canadian businesses. (Download our briefing document to learn more).

Comparing Labels: EU, USA and Canada — Other countries have more stringent requirements, so why don’t we? The graphic above shows how the same fish species (Sebastes flavidus) is required to be labelled in the EU, USA and Canada. Canada’s label is void of any detail.